September 17, 2001

9/17/2001 08:13:23 PM
Please Stop the Unjust Hatred
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9/17/2001 01:24:40 PM
The Clamor of a Free People

Sikh Owner of Gas Station Is Fatally Shot in Rampage

Notes on Anti-Arab Racism

Anti-Arab sentiment festers online

Arab-Americans and Muslims fear backlash

Arab Americans Face Threats In Wake Of Terrorist Attacks

U.S. Sets Up Complaint Hotline; Bush to Meet Muslims

Driver Slams Car Into Mosque in Ohio

Iraq native sees ethnic hatred in burning of his pizza shop

At Boston campuses, Muslims increasingly wary

Bias probed as motive in 2 slayings

Standing up for fellow Americans

A Backlash Builds Against American Arabs and Muslims

Violence Against Arab Americans and Muslims

"Get Out of Our Country!" - A Sampling of Hate Mail Received by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee

Americans vs. Americans

Police: Arsonist Targeted Austin-Area Gas Station

Texas Police Check Motive for Slaying of Pakistani
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9/17/2001 01:21:30 PM
Former Bay Area Man Killed in Apparent Hate Crime
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9/17/2001 11:09:14 AM

When you think Taliban, think "Nazis." When you think Bin Laden, think "Hitler." And when you think "the people of Afghanistan" think "the Jews in the concentration camps."
....
We come now to the question of bombing Afghanistan back to the Stone Age. Trouble is, that's been done. The Soviets took care of it already. Make the Afghans suffer? They're already suffering. Level their houses? Done. Turn their schools into piles of rubble? Done. Eradicate their hospitals? Done. Destroy their infrastructure? Cut them off from medicine and health care? Too late. Someone already did all that.
....
We're flirting with a world war between Islam and the West.

And guess what: that's Bin Laden's program. That's exactly what he wants. That's why he did this. Read his speeches and statements. It's all right there. He really believes Islam would beat the west. It might seem ridiculous, but he figures if he can polarize the world into Islam and the West, he's got a billion soldiers. If the west wreaks a holocaust in those lands, that's a billion people with nothing left to lose, that's even better from Bin Laden's point of view. He's probably wrong, in the end the west would win, whatever that would mean, but the war would last for years and millions would die, not just theirs but ours. Who has the belly for that? Bin Laden does. Anyone else?

-Tamim Ansary

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9/17/2001 10:25:22 AM
Forwarded to me from JessaJune:

Subject: Small bit of local good news from Bonita, California
A little cheerful thought from Darbnet:

If you can, get the plates of the drive by screamers. I went with my wife who is muslim (non-practicing, but I went to mass on Sunday also) to the local mosque on Friday. Similar buttheads drove by and yelled for the "ragheads to go home or we'll kill you all!" Some people copied down the plate numbers and later on the news I saw the same truck surrounded by cops with shotguns pointed at it. I dunno about California, but the cops here are taking this stuff VERY seriously. I bet those particular "real" americans now know the fear of god, or are at least out buying new underwear.

******

Unlike the aftermath of Oklahoma City, this time I've noticed many occasions where reporters (even on Fox) and politicians have gone out of their way to stress that Arab-Americans and Muslims are not to blame for this.

Of course there have been incidents, but the snippet of good news I wanted to share was that at a candlelight walk (organized around the local fire station) here in Bonita (south of San Diego), attended by ~400 people, both speakers, including one Korean and Vietnam War vet, stressed the same point, to visible agreement from the crowd.

Of course that audience may not be the target audience, but the general atmosphere may sway some of the bozos away from doing stupid things.

As of Friday night, the local mosque had had a few phone bomb threats, a couple people yelling indecipherably from their cars, but nothing more. (The folks there seemed somewhat concerned, obviously. I'll stop by again tonight.)

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9/17/2001 09:59:25 AM
On the last full day I spent in San Antonio over Labor Day weekend, my best friend had to go to the store to get milk for our sourdough pancakes. She soon came back with the milk. And a pregnant cat.

I just received word this morning that the pretty little pregnant kitty is now a pretty little mommy kitty, with four cute little kittens to take care of.

I hope, for the sake of my friend's mom, that she had the kittens in the box we set up for her and not on any of the furniture.
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9/17/2001 09:17:46 AM

“Brother, if you don’t mind, there is a cloud of glass coming at us, grab my hand, lets get the hell out of here.”

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September 16, 2001

9/16/2001 01:27:57 AM
Living with Terror I, the Sermon
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September 15, 2001

9/15/2001 11:57:48 PM
Other than the great party we had tonight (a much-needed diversion I tell ya, although the discussion always turned towards whether my older brother, who got out of the Marines less than a year ago, would be called back into service if Shrub decides to go to war), the image that will always be stuck in my mind from today is what someone taped to the inside of their camper shell of the truck I had to follow much of the way into San Luis Obispo to do some shopping.

It said Nuke 'Em All!

I was sickened. As far as I can tell, people who espouse this sort of attitude are no better than those who flew those planes into those buildings on Tuesday, or those who planned and/or financed the attack. They see the actions of a few, and apply them to the whole.

But I know too little about the politics of the situation right now to give an informed opinion on what's going on. I have to admit to having purposefully avoided the news since Thursday - the recurring images of the attack made me sick, the death tolls made me cry, and the militantism was making me angry, so I don't really know what's going on as far as that goes.

However, I've gotten a few emails since yesterday encouraging me to continue pointing out the injustices being wrought against Arab Americans, and any other foreigner who doesn't fit the American stereotype. To that end, here are a few more articles:

Adding insult to nation's injury

Gradually, backlash diminishes nationwide

A Sense of Foreboding in Canada's Diverse Muslim Haven

Last Week, Profiling Was Wrong

Parents Fear Their Children Will Be the Targets of Bigotry

Attacks and Harassment of Middle-Eastern Americans Rising

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9/15/2001 11:47:02 PM
I just re-read my last entry, and it looks like the numbers I put after each person indicated how many birthdays they had celebrated. I am silly and should know better than to post stuff without reading it a few times. No, those numbers indicate the dates of their birthdays, not the numbers of their birthdays. Actually, my brother turns 21 in about 20 minutes. He's out partying now, with strict instructions to call if he decides to drink and shouldn't drive himself home. I hope he remembers that.

As for the other party people, it would not be politically correct to tell you how many birthdays each of them have celebrated. Let's just say that all three are my oldest friends.

And it was a good party tonight.
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September 14, 2001

9/14/2001 04:42:17 PM
I'm heading out of town for a much-needed break from this week.

It's my brother's (16th), my friend's (17th), my sister's (21st), and my grandma's (24th) birthdays in the next week. Have I done any shopping?? Heh. Right.

Later alligators.
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9/14/2001 03:20:04 PM
Dozens of Arabs, Muslims Buried under New York Rubble

"I just don't understand this," an Arab American University student told MENO. He added, "we are parts of this tragedy, we are buried under the rubble, we are sharing our blood with the survivors, we are helping in the rescue efforts, we are praying for the victims' families, we raising the American flags over our houses, and shedding tears while watching the horrific scenes on television."

"But here we are standing alone, facing the hate of millions who, rather than searching for the real criminals, chasing behind innocent Americans for simply being of a different background or a different faith," he lamented.

....

Nissam Hafiz's family and dozens of other Muslim and Arab families are too waiting to hear of the fate of their loved ones. However they wonder, how can they be the victims and yet accused of being the victimizer, all at once? No one seems to have an answer.

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9/14/2001 02:29:43 PM
NY Firefighter's 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund
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9/14/2001 11:22:36 AM
Amazon: $4,674,745.19

PayPal: $806,678
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9/14/2001 10:42:28 AM

"There are no words," she said, struggling to explain the pain. "This is my country, these are my people. It is a double-edged sword because I know when people look at me they won't see that, they'll just see that I'm one of them." -Amatullah Almarwani

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9/14/2001 10:22:16 AM
Other articles I found today:

Adding Shame to Grief

Afghans in D.C. Area Grieve Over Attack, Fear for Homeland

For Many, Sorrow Turns to Anger and Talk of Vengeance

In U.S., Echoes of Rift Of Muslims and Jews

Listeners Sound Off, Grieve Over Airwaves

Arab-Americans Threatened, Attacked

Calm Urged as Muslims Face Threats

Arabs and Muslims Steer Through an Unsettling Scrutiny

Backlash: Hate thrown at Arab Americans - Death threats, obscenities, attacks, suspected arson

Muslims across nation targets of attack - Vandalism, threats made in Bay Area

American Muslims fear retribution - Contra Costa family 'keeps a low profile'

Tolerance put to test in Bay Area - Muslims, mosques, Arabs find themselves targets of threats
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9/14/2001 10:07:27 AM
I guess I was wrong about this not being reported. I got this email this morning (and from someone who doesn't even read my site!):

----Original Message Follows----
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 14:21:54 -0400
A woman in my office is ethnically Pakistani. She was raised in Ohio and looks as American as any other 20-something woman, except that she looks, and is, South Asian. Apparently that's enough for her to be guilty of some part of Tuesday's horrific events.

She felt the need to ask another co-worker to walk down and get lunch with her today. That other co-worker was appalled by the stir Shamila caused, just by looking Middle-Eastern. She was stared at, sometimes viciously, and some people made derrisive comments. I can't imagine how bad it must be like for people who look "less American."

This makes me incredibly angry, that people can be so ignorant, so hurtful at a time like this. How can such a blind need to assign blame and get vengence be constructive? Have we not learned from our experience with the Japanese internment camps during World War II? And why did we not turn against all white males after Timothy MacVeigh and Terry Nichols were discovered to be behind the Oklahoma City bomb? The racism and hypocricy of this sort of reaction infuriates me.

Don't get me wrong. I can't for a moment excuse the actions of the hijackers and their supporters, but I don't see how rash responses will help.

My plea is that we all try to be aware of what is going on around us, and to lend support to both the direct and indirect victims. If you see this sort of harrassment taking place, step in. Let cooler heads prevail.

If you agree with this message, and I certainly hope you do, feel free to forward it around.
Thanks,
Christine

For Arab Americans, a Familiar Backlash
Harassment, Threats Prompt Police to Provide Extra Security for Mosques, Islamic Centers
By Hanna Rosin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 13, 2001; Page A26

Arab Americans throughout the nation woke up yesterday to find bullet holes in their mosque windows, bricks with death threats attached, obscene graffiti and voice mail blaming them for Tuesday's attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Almost as soon as the name "Osama bin Laden" flashed in the headlines as a likely culprit, Arab Americans braced for the backlash, which came overnight. By yesterday evening, Muslim groups in the United States had received more than 100 reports of harassment against women in head scarves, men in Muslim dress or people who merely looked Middle Eastern.

Although authorities yesterday had named no suspects in the airborne attacks, American Muslim leaders found themselves rehearsing a drill familiar from past terrorist attacks. Virtually every Muslim and Arab American group, even those that have resisted repudiating Palestinian suicide bombers in Israel, lined up yesterday to condemn the attacks on American targets.

Leaders defended Islam as a peace-loving religion and insisted that their hearts and national loyalties were with America, not with foreign extremists.

Some of their fellow Americans moved beyond suspicion and stereotype. In Oklahoma City, where locals remembered how Muslims were harassed in the hours after the 1995 bombing of the federal building there, 500 people showed up for an interfaith service led by a Muslim cleric. President Bush also advised Americans not to rush to judgment.

Still, many cities were not taking chances. In Atlanta and Chicago, police cars were stationed outside mosques and Islamic centers to provide extra security. Muslim schools in Detroit and Los Angeles closed for fear of attacks. And a coalition of Muslim leaders for the first time considered asking imams to cancel Friday worship services or to ask Muslims to pray at home.

Up to six shots were fired at an Islamic center in Irving, a suburb of Dallas. Worshipers arriving yesterday morning discovered the damage at the center, which is part school and part mosque. No one was hurt.

"It is frustrating," said Abdul Raouf of the center. "We are citizens of this country, and we share in the sorrow and sadness."

Hazim Barakat arrived at his Islamic bookstore in Old Town Alexandria to find two bricks thrown through the window, with notes tied to them. One was addressed to "Arab murderers"; the other opened with an obscenity and "You come to this country and kill. You must die as well."

"To tell you the truth, I expected it," Barakat said. "Because of the media. They have nothing to say except 'Islamic terrorist, Muslim terrorist.' But we Muslims are not terrorists. Those people [the terrorists] are crazy. We are ashamed of them."

The Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church was shut yesterday and Friday services were canceled after mosque leaders received threats against the facility.

Other incidents were common. A sign announcing the new home of an Islamic community center near Dulles International Airport was defaced with profane, anti-Muslim sentiments. The door of a mosque in San Francisco was splattered with blood. About 300 people tried to march on a mosque last night in suburban Chicago. And anti-Muslim slurs led to a prison fight in Washington state.

Members of the Islamic community center in Sterling showed up extra early yesterday to get on a bus they had chartered to take them to a Red Cross center, where they planned to donate blood for victims of the attacks. They found their hallway spray-painted in thick black letters, several feet tall, spelling out: "Die Pigs" and "Muslims Burn Forever."

"People should understand, we live here. We didn't do this," said Mohammed Khan, who emigrated from Pakistan to Sterling 16 years ago.

National Muslim leaders reacted swiftly. A coalition of Arab leaders who had been scheduled to meet with Bush yesterday and air their complaints about the treatment of Muslims and the American stance on Jerusalem switched gears and instead mounted a public relations campaign promoting the charitable efforts of Muslims.

Standing outside the Red Cross building in downtown Washington, Arab American leaders found ever-harsher words to condemn the attacks: "despicable," "appalling," "horrifying," "an act of war," Aly Abuzaakouk of the American Muslim Council said.

They then announced they would donate blood to "show their solidarity with the victims of the attack," said Nihad Awad of the Council on American Islamic Relations. For the rest of the afternoon, leaders stood in a long line outside the Red Cross with Muslim students, some for five hours, to donate blood.

Some Muslims rejected their leaders' standard line and ventured to, if not defend the attackers, at least offer to explain their actions.

Ashraf Sabrin is an emergency medical technician in Arlington, assigned to one of the firefighting companies that rushed to the burning Pentagon on Tuesday.

"I'm not saying it's okay," he began. "But there's a reason these people are angry. A reason why they bombed America. It's because Israel oppresses the Palestinian people and America tries to cover it up. Nobody listens to these people. They don't have a voice. So they act out of their frustrations."

On Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, a street lined with Lebanese restaurants and Palestinian-owned health food stores, Sabrin's views were echoed. Outside a shop called Paradise Clothing, a man in a gray tunic stood facing the mirror, brushing his beard, getting ready for afternoon prayers.

"If America didn't encourage Jews to kill Arabs, then no one would come here to make all these tragedies," said the man, a Moroccan who identified himself only by his first name, Houssain.

But most were conciliatory. Even though a woman spray-painted the word "murderers" on the walls of the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, Calif., and a passerby screamed obscenities at Tajuddin Shuaib, the mosque's director, Shuaib will not press charges. The woman "was overcome by emotions," he said. Of the terrorists, he added: "They don't represent all Arabs, let alone all Muslims. It's not Islamic to kill innocent people."

*****
ATTACKS REPORTED AGAINST ARAB AMERICANS, MUSLIMS IN
CHICAGO
September 12, 2001 11 PM Eastern Time
CHICAGO--Attacks and incidents of harassment against Arab Americans and Muslims continue to be reported in Chicago, following the assault on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon yesterday and the crashes of four hijacked airliners. Channel 7 Television in Chicago reported the following information at 10.35 PM local time:

Approximately 350 people, some waving American flags gathered in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview and attempted to march on the Mosque at 95th Street and Southwest Highway. The Bridgeview police commander interviewed on the television said there had been some "altercations" and some arrests, that police were out in force, and they would prevent any attack against the mosque. Bridgeview has a high concentration of Arab Americans. Other anti-Arab and anti-Muslim incidents have been reported by the news media in Chicago:

WBEZ radio reported this evening that a man was arrested and charged with a hate crime after allegedly entering a Chicago gas station, and attacking the Arab American attendant with a two foot long machete. According to the radio, the assailant first asked the gas station attendant which country he was from. When the man answered that he was an American citizen of Moroccan origin, the suspect went back to his car to get his weapon. The victim suffered wounds on his arms.

Channel 7 and other media reported that a firebomb was thrown at a Muslim school early this morning. It bounced off the wall and exploded on the ground causing no damage or injuries. Two muslim schools in the Chicago suburbs received bomb threats today, and both remained closed, even though public schools were open.
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September 13, 2001

9/13/2001 07:12:21 PM
Am I missing something? Or is the media missing something?? I'll admit I haven't done any deep digging, but I've been to at least 4 major news sites today, and all they talk about is who might have planned the attack, the fear the Afghanis are living in, the relief efforts, and the death tolls.

I found no mention of the racial hate that has been stirred up and given an target in the aftermath of this tragedy. I keep hearing stories on the radio and stories on personal sites of people being beaten or harrassed because they aren't white or hispanic or asian (which leaves a huge section of the world that can be construed as "Middle East"). But I see nothing recognized or reported by the media, who seem to see only one side of the situation we find ourselves in.

In their zeal to uphold and maintain the patriotic spirit this tragedy has inspired (oh, and their ratings - don't forget the Almighty Ratings), might the media not also take it upon themselves to remind Americans that we live in a free country, one where people have always come to escape lands that did not allow them to practice their religion, voice their thoughts, or participate in their governments?

I think it's their responsibility. And I think they should start soon, before they find they've turned their eyes away too long from the consequences of their single-minded focus on war finding out how the president is going to handle the crisis.
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9/13/2001 10:56:32 AM
Heh. I'm finally back at work, after two days of zombihood and obsession with the news and a head/chest cold. I look around my desk, wondering what I can do to put off having to think for a bit longer, and I come across my silly little desk calendar, which is still set to September 11, 2001: The happiest people on earth all have their fair share of low moods, problems, disappointments, and heartache.

Heartache is right.

I tear that off and see yesterday's, which states that "When you observe peaceful, relaxed people, you find that when they are feeling good, they are very grateful."

Grateful is right.

Today's doesn't apply at all.
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